AMHERST -- The discovery of what police described as a major marijuana growing operation at a North Amherst home came after someone reported a medical emergency at the address, according to court records.

Officers never found the "patient" who prompted the initial call, the records say. Instead, they allegedly found hundreds of marijuana plants, drug paraphernalia and hashish oils.

Ian H. Saylor, 30, was charged with one count each of possession to cultivate and distribute a class D substance (marijuana), possession of a class C substance (hash and oils) and unlawful manufacture of a class C substance.

He denied the charges Monday in Eastern Hampshire District Court in Belchertown. He was released on $2,500 bail and ordered to stay away from the 599 East Leverett Road house where he lived until police clear the area.

He is due back in court for a pretrial hearing July 9.

Police were called to the East Leverett Road home just after 3 p.m. Friday for a report of a medical emergency. They were unable to locate the man and believed he might have entered the house, according to the police report.

An officer entered the home after trying to call to someone inside and receiving no response, according to the report.

Inside, the report says, officers found a grow room, including a "moderate" number of marijuana plants in individual pots, ventilation equipment and a hydration system.

According to the report, the officer continued searching for the patient outside the house and and discovered "a significant amount of marijuana plants."

"Other observations made were indicative of a large scale cultivation operation ongoing both and inside and outside," the report says.

Police found two people in the house and asked them to leave. One of them was Saylor, who lived there.

During a "protective sweep of the property," police found a "significant amount of paraphernalia consistent with the cultivation, distribution, sale and processing of marijuana," according to the report.

Police s aid Monday they counted more than 500 plants in various stages of growth.

Police, according to the report, found more than 10 ounces of dried marijuana, as well as packaging, labeling materials, money and other paraphernalia "associated with the cultivation, sales and distribution of marijuana and or hashish oils."